State Assistant Attorney General William A. Lisenby said he and Walden's attorney, Randy Beard of Guntersville, presented their closing arguments Friday morning. The jury began deliberations about 3 p.m. after receiving instructions from Circuit Judge Tim Jolley on the law in reaching a verdict.

Lisenby said he did not know how late Jolley would allow the jury to continue deliberations tonight or whether he would have them resume deliberations Saturday or Monday, if necessary.

During the week-long trial, seven witnesses testified for the prosecution and that Walden and five character witnesses took the stand in her defense, Lisenby said.

Jolley declared a mistrial in March over delays due to an illness in a witness' family, a death in a juror's family and the death of a former circuit judge.

Walden, 57, of Albertville, a 20-year veteran in the tax collection office, is charged with theft, three counts of possession of a forged instrument and an ethics violation of using her office for personal gain.

Walden was indicted by a grand jury in 2006 after a state audit showed $7,170 had been taken from the daily deposits. According to court records, the amount equaled overpayments of property taxes that had not been refunded.